Day: February 21, 2009

It’s difficult to imagine anything that more succinctly captured the perils of the modern game than the MyFootballClub takeover of BSP club Ebbsfleet United. The takeover, which was completed this time last year to a largely unquestioning media fanfare, has proved to be not far short of an unmitigated disaster, with the number of MyFC subscriptions having slumped to well below the level at which the Society which runs the club may have to give up control of the club. Indeed, the levels of returning subscribers have been so low that there is even a possibility that the club may have to enter into administration unless it can rein in its currently uncontrollable losses. It did look briefly as if those of us in cynics corner might be wrong. Ebbsfleet flirted with a place in the BSP play-offs last season and won the FA Trophy at Wembley. However, disenchantment at the way that the organisation was being run grew and grew, an atmosphere of civil war developed on the site’s forum (leading to numerous members being banned from it), and this malaise spread around the entire project. In a sudden about turn of policy, one of the main selling points of MyFC membership, the right for members to pick the team rather than the manager, was put to a vote, but only after an impassioned plea from head coach...